B4 and After
by Avenasoblivion
Summary: A different view of the post-Nemesis Data plotlines.


Disclaimer: If Star Trek was mine, I wouldn't have cried after watching Nemesis. If you don't know why or haven't seen Nemesis yet, don't read this fic.

This plays around with the timeline just a little. It takes place at spacedock, before anyone has departed Enterprise. B4 has already been reactivated and told about everything that's happened (but not the speech you think you heard), but Will and Deanna have not yet left for the _Titan_. I'm not sure when exactly Beverly is supposed to have left, so she's still there, too. Other than that, I think everything's okay, but if you see anything that needs to be corrected, please tell me.

B4 and After

Avenasoblivion

_Dedicated to my Grampa, We love you, and we miss you._

Day 1

Losing a crewmember was always difficult. It was part of his job that Jean-Luc Picard could never get used to; and he sincerely hoped that he never would. Having to alert families that their husband, wife, mother, father, son or daughter, their lover or companion, was gone forever, was heart-wrenching. That something intangible could hurt so much baffled and frustrated him, but he would never wish away the pain. He would not dishonor anyone's memory that way.

But for this death their would be no family to alert. No lover, no caregiver. Data's family had been the crew of the Enterprise; his friends the same. His parents and daughter had beaten him to the grave. There was no one to whom his death would be personally important that did not already know. But dealing with this death, and the emotions that accompanied it, was one of the most difficult hurdles he had ever faced.

It wasn't just Picard who felt this way, he knew. He didn't have to be empathic to know what the battle with Shinzon had cost his crew, cost himself. There had been other deaths, and the friends and families of those lost were sorely missed and mourned, but Data's case had been remarkable. His last act had been one of uncommon bravery and sacrifice, whether Data had seen it that way or not. Having sacrificed his own existence to save the crew had won him a place in everyone's heart.

But despite this, the crew was still recovering both physically and emotionally from their battle. Learning to remember, to convince oneself that a friend was really gone, was difficult, Picard knew from experience. He believed it was the same for all people, though they showed it differently.

He now questioned his decision in requesting that B4 remain on Enterprise. He had worried for the naïve relation of Data's. To just dump Data's only family off on some stranger, and to throw the innocent android straight into Starfleet's politics until his fate could be decided, was not something that Picard was willing to do. His only qualm was the effect that B4 had on those mourning Data's death.

So now he was going to see his trusted friend and advisor, Counselor Troi. Luckily for his sanity, Riker and Counselor Troi had not yet departed for the Titan. She wasn't officially on duty, but the new counselor hadn't arrived yet, and Picard would not have trusted his crew's mental health to anyone else. Troi had been with them through it all, and had perhaps survived the worst of it. The personal attacks from his clone had been horrific, and yet she had continued to serve to the best of her abilities. He had felt so selfish when he asked her to stay on duty in the midst of her own struggles, but he had needed her, and she understood.

He waited outside of her quarters for a moment, until she invited him in. "Captain," she smiled. She looked drawn and tired. Picard wondered how much rest she had gotten in the past few days. He made a mental note to tell Beverly to check in on her. Like the counselor, Dr. Crusher had insisted on monitoring everyone's recovery before she even thought about leaving.

He smiled back, realizing how tight his own smile felt, and imagined that he looked just as worn. "Hello, Deanna."

She motioned to the couch. "Please, have a seat." He sat down gratefully. Sighing, he felt himself relax for the first time since he could remember as he sank back into the seat. "Ah." He opened his eyes, and felt a little lighter, somehow, like the weight of his troubles had lifted. He looked at Deanna. No, he decided, not gone; his troubles were being shared with a friend.

"How are you doing, captain?"

"Hanging on." He rolled his shoulders back. "I'm more worried about the ship's counselor, to tell you the truth. You're supposed to be preparing for you and Will's well-earned places in command aboard the Titan, but instead you've been pulling as many all-nighters as the rest of us. Transferring to a new command is trying enough, you shouldn't overexert yourself."

"Not at all, captain." She paused. "I admit, I am tired, and it has been pretty stressful, but while I'm here, I want to help in any way I can." She looked at him critically. "Are you here to be my counselor?"

He smiled. "No, counselor. Actually, I came to obtain advice, not to give it."

"How can I help?"

Picard deliberated a moment, wondering how he should phrase his concerns. "I wish to know how the crew feels...in regard to B4's continuing presence on the ship."

"Captain, you know I can't tell you what the crew tells me."

"I know, I know," Picard said, putting a hand up. "I merely want to know what's best for my crew. Any insight you could provide me with would be most greatly appreciated."

Deanna relaxed a bit, but sat on the edge of her seat, still, back straight. She looked thoughtful for a moment before responding, "There is a bit of tension, and discomfort caused by B4's presence. Only a very few individuals show any signs of further distress, but it's something they'll have to work through, and it's not something that's going to be fixed overnight, with or without your help. Or on your order," she added.

"Is there any reason for me to be worried about the safety of my ship and crew?" Picard asked seriously.

"No. I don't believe so," she said slowly. "The crew is being very professional about B4's continued stay on Enterprise, but it's very difficult to change emotions, especially the strong emotions that losing someone you care about can cause. Tensions may run high at times, but I don't believe anyone will act on any dangerous impulses. It is going to take time and effort for everyone to return to being completely comfortable on the ship, and it's not going to be easy."

Picard nodded, and looked at Deanna for a long moment. "How am I supposed to run my ship without you?" he asked.

"You're the captain," Deanna said simply. "Nobody else knows better than you what your crew needs. In all the years I've served with you, I've known you to be one of the strongest, most devoted, and most conscientious men I've ever met. I'm sure you'll continue to serve your crew to the best of your ability."

"Are you trying to cram in as much counseling as you can into the limited time we have left?" Picard asked, the crow's feet around his eyes wrinkling.

"Maybe I'm just reluctant to let go of everything I've known for so many years, and I can't think of a better way to say goodbye." Deanna's eyes shined with unshed tears. She closed her eyes, and smiled as she opened them. "It's a bit overwhelming."

Picard smiled back, and placed his hand on top of hers. "You are about to embark on one of the most terrifying and most rewarding adventures you will ever get the chance to be a part of." He felt his own eyes watering, and smiled back at her. "And you wouldn't miss it for the world."

* * *

Geordi LaForge sat at a console in Engineering, trying to focus on the task at hand. There were extensive repairs to be made while they were at space dock, and he was supposed to be overseeing many of them. The generally good-natured and easy-going engineer felt another bout of irrational anger as he looked at the screen blinking back at him. Lately, his mood had been heavy and dark, like he was towing a storm cloud along with him everywhere he went. His storm cloud seemed to act as a general repellent for all of his crewmates, and he felt that this time he appreciated the effect.

He was Chief Engineer, the master of his domain, and he was supposed to be setting a good example for those under his command. Not only did his storm cloud free him of that responsibility, for crewmembers rarely stopped him for idle chat lately, but it also put a sort of barrier between him and them.

He knew what was causing him to act this way, but the knowledge did not make the fact of it any easier to deal with. His best friend was gone, and he had been instrumental in his best friend's death.

He knew that it had been Data's choice, and that Data had done what he did in order to save everyone on the Enterprise. He also knew that he couldn't justify it if he had tried to stop Data. Many more lives would have been lost. Captain Picard would have died on the Scimitar, the entire crew of the Enterprise, Geordi himself would have been killed. And Data still would have died.

All that remained of Data was his belongings, most packed away but some given to those for whom they had sentimental value, and an android identical to Data, but not sharing many attributes beside appearance. Geordi didn't blame B4 for Data's death, nor did he wish that it had been B4 who had made the ultimate sacrifice instead. He couldn't wish that on the innocent, albeit easily manipulated android.

Geordi half-wished that Starfleet Command had taken B4 in to deal with him themselves, but he also felt that he owed it to Data to take care of his relation. But being around B4 was a struggle. B4 was a constant reminder to Geordi that Data was forever gone.

Geordi was angry at the unfairness of it all. It was unjust that Data should have had no choice but to die that day. After devoting his entire existence to one goal; to become human, his life had been snuffed out instantly.

He knew it was a riddle with no answer, and that it would eat him alive if he let it, but for now, Geordi just wanted to be mad, as much as it hurt him and made him feel guilty, knowing that Data would not have wanted him to drive himself crazy trying to figure out the meaning of life; how something so important could be so fragile.

* * *

Beverly Crusher stood in Sickbay, leaning her forearms on one of the patient examination tables. Her Sickbay looked pristine. Everything was on its own shelf, in its own box or cupboard, exactly where it was supposed to go. All the equipment was cleaned, disinfected, and polished. She felt as if the glare off all the spotless surfaces was making her dizzy.

Crusher sighed. Ever since the battle with Shinzon had ended, Beverly had been determined to make the most of her days left on Enterprise. Before she left for Starfleet Medical, she wanted to spend as much time as possible enjoying the company of friends that she had practically lived with for years, and who she didn't know when she would see them again. If she ever did, she thought, and shuddered. Space was as dangerous a place as any, but that's where everyone else was going to be. She doubted she'd need to use a phaser on a regular basis back at Starfleet Medical.

And instead of cherishing these last days they had together, Beverly had hidden in Sickbay almost the entire time. She had let herself get so caught up in what was going to happen in the future that she became completely unaware of what was happening around her. Her last patient had left hours ago, and, having no one else to check up on, Beverly had decided to tidy up a bit. Now she was tired, anxious, and didn't even know what time it was.

She glanced at the chronometer. She had been alone in Sickbay for four hours.

She felt her stomach clench again. What was she doing? Sure, it was technically her shift, but there were no emergencies, and she could always be called over her combadge if she was really needed. All she had to do was slip out of Sickbay, and...and what? Say goodbye? The last decade or so has been wonderful, guys, but now it's time for me to shove off. She let out a frustrated laugh.

The choice had seemed so simple before. After all, she had left _Enterprise_ before for the exact same job. But that was when things hadn't been changing so rapidly. When she found she was staring at the stars more than the papers on her desk, she had decided that maybe it wasn't time for her to settle down _that _much. When she requested a transfer back to Enterprise, of all places, she had been welcomed back with open arms, like the Prodigal Son returning home.

But last time, everyone she had known, her friends and-well-family, had been there to welcome her back. Now, Data was gone, and Will and Deanna were leaving. She felt a pang in her heart. If she fell down now, who would be there to help her up, dust her off? She thought for a brief moment about the ridiculousness of cause and effect; choices. So many things she had lost due to her own choices, and choices of those she cared about. Her son had left her for years to become a Traveler, her husband had died because of a decision Jean-Luc had been forced to make, and the same man who had lost her her husband...she had made a choice that they would only ever be friends. Nothing more, nothing less.

And now she was, once again, leaving everything she knew to embrace a life that she had been less than fond of just how many years ago? It was an offer that she had refused before, like the captain had refused any promotion that would take him away from his ship and crew. She wondered, which of them was growing?

Her one arm lay limp over the surface of the table, her hand hanging off, and her other arm was bent, propping up her face. The stillness in Sickbay was something she had had to get used to. After all, you can't have an emergency every ten minutes or so just to keep you occupied. But never before had the silence seemed so...sterile.

The doors to Sickbay _whooshed_ open, and Dr. Crusher straightened up immediately. She opened her mouth to say _Data_, closed it again, and finally managed, "B4?" She thought back, and couldn't remember if B4 had been in Sickbay before. She didn't think so, from the way he was looking around at everything with interest. But then again, B4 wasn't the sharpest tack.

"Dr. Crusher," he said, cocking his head to the side. For a moment, Beverly could almost see Data in the gesture, though she still maintained that Data had nicer eyes. She gaped for a moment, and caught herself. It's B4, she scolded herself.

She smiled as warmly as she could manage. "How can I help you, B4?"

The android nodded, but not in Data's decisive nod. "I believe that something is happening in my head."

"I'm not sure I'm the best person to ask about those kinds of things in your case," Crusher said, walking toward him anyways out of habit. She looked at her hands, dismayed. There wasn't much she could do for the android if there was something truly wrong with him. She thought a moment about the precious few things that B4 had received from Data in the failed transfer. A few words, a few habits, a few gestures.

"I do not think something is wrong with me," the android started uncertainly. "But I am not sure." He didn't look worried or emotional at all; even his vacant smile was gone.

"Well, what makes you think that something's, um, happening?" Beverly asked, still wondering how in the universe she was supposed to help him.

"I keep...seeing things in my mind." B4 said. He was not as articulate as Data had been.

"Seeing things?" Could he be hallucinating? It was possible, she supposed. "What do you mean?"

B4 seemed to struggle for words again. "Not just seeing things. Hearing," he shook his head. "Thinking things," he finally decided on. "Doctor, who is Tasha Yar?"

* * *

Will Riker sat in the captain's chair on the Bridge, feeling restless. He shifted his weight uncomfortably. Stuck at Space dock, there wasn't much for Will to be on alert for. The complement on the bridge was minimal. The hull had been patched, but only to the bare minimum. The few crew left on duty were stationed where there were still stations left for them to occupy. There was no viewscreen to speak of, and the hull plating that replaced it was hardly as diverting as the plain old starscape would have been.

He knew that the Bridge, or what was left of it, couldn't be left unoccupied, even when they were docked, but he wished that he didn't have to be the one to keep track of it.

He would soon be the captain of his own ship, and he was looking forward to setting out on his own adventures, with his own crew to take charge of. He would be off on his own missions, with Deanna. He smiled a little. And their family. They had both agreed that they wanted children, something Will had never considered before with any other woman. He was glad he never had. The prospect of having a child-or children-with his _Imzadi _was a dream come true.

He even looked forward to their first visit from Lwaxana, which he was sure would arrive soon after he received his new command. He wondered what she would do now that she wouldn't have Captain Picard to harass.

Riker looked around him at the bored Bridge Crew. There was little enough for them to do in the first place, and even less that they could do now, considering the condition the Enterprise was in. An ensign turned to him, looking as surprised as he felt, and said, "Commander, there is a message coming in from Starfleet Command."

"I'll take it in the Ready Room," he said, casting a sardonic eye toward the hull plating that took the place of the viewscreen.

* * *

"What is it, Doctor?" Captain Picard asked as the door to Sickbay _swooshed_ shut behind him.

Beverly strode up to him, looking excited. He looked to see that she had been standing next to B4. She gestured for Picard to walk back with her. "Oh, Jean-Luc, I hope I'm not jumping the gun or anything, but you have to see this." They stopped in front of B4, and Beverly turned to the captain, her eyes shining.

"Well, I'd certainly like to know what the emergency is," he said. "You haven't told me what's going on yet."

"No, emergency, Captain," Beverly assured him. "I just didn't want to tell anyone else yet; I didn't want to get their hopes up." Picard still looked baffled. Crusher turned to the android. "Tell him what you told me," she said sweetly.

Picard looked inquisitively at the android.

"I believe that something is happening in my head," said the android obediently.

The captain looked back to Crusher.

"Captain, I think he's starting to remember things-things from Data's memories."

Riker's voice buzzed over the comm, _Riker to Picard_.

* * *

Picard looked around the conference room as the senior staff assembled for a meeting. His eyes lingered a moment on the chair that Data had customarily used. _We're still saving a seat for him_, he thought ruefully.

The faces of his closest friends looked back at him. He wasn't sure what had compelled him to call them all to a meeting in the first place. His First Officer had only requested an audience with him, not the entire senior staff. On the other hand, he also hadn't protested the suggestion.

Riker looked subdued. He was a direct contrast to the Doctor, who looked very eager to share her news, but was trying not to give it away. Her eyes were too bright and she was too focused on him, not looking at anyone else. He hoped no one noticed. They had agreed that B4's progress was best kept between them for now.

Picard turned to his First Officer. "Number One." Riker nodded slightly in response.

"We received a message from Starfleet Command," he began, making eye contact with each officer. The tone of his voice dashed any hopes of this being good news.

"What was it about?" Deanna asked tentatively.

"It concerned B4." There was an uneasy silence around the table. Beverly's eyes widened. Deanna glanced at her quickly, then returned her attention to Will.

"It was Admiral Nakamura."

There was a sharp intake of breath, and all knew that they were thinking the same thing; what the _hell_ does he want? And they were all afraid they already knew the answer.

The Doctor finally broke the silence, voicing their thoughts. "What about B4?" she asked, her voice hard.

"He wanted to know if the attempted data transfer between Data and B4 was successful." Geordi's forehead creased. Beverly clasped her hands together agitatedly. "He said that if the transfer had been successful," he continued gravely, "then B4 would in fact be Data, and being such, he would belong to Starfleet." Riker's serious expression and cold voice communicated his distress much more than any fit of rage could have. "_Data _would have to be relinquished to Starfleet Command."

"Why?" Beverly demanded.

"To be sure it was really him, that he wasn't malfunctioning. I think he had compiled a list of reasons in case we could refute any of them, The basic principle is that "Data" represents Starfleet, and like any other officer that had survived a traumatic experience, he would have to be evaluated to see if he was fit for duty." He finished, a tight, humorless smile showing how ludicrous he thought the idea.

"But he hasn't been through any ordeal," Troi said. "His memories wouldn't extend that far, and he was deactivated through the entire thing. He didn't seem to understand what happened."

"We stopped him before, so he's been biding his time for the opportune moment to try and get his hands on Data again," Picard mused.

Riker turned to his captain, his ironic smile telling everyone exactly what he thought of what he was about to say. "He wanted to assure you that this had nothing to do with his previous attempt to take Data away from us, for what it's worth." A few of the officers around the table tried for a humorless laugh, but it was still too raw.

"But if he hasn't recovered Data's memories, then we don't have a problem," Geordi prompted.

Picard paused, then looked at Crusher. "Perhaps, Doctor, it is time to inform everyone of your discovery," he said solemnly.

The attention shifted wordlessly to the doctor. She fidgeted nervously with her hands again.

"B4 came to me...asking about some images and...recollections that he remembers-from Data's life."

Surprise, hope, and then understanding and dismay flashed across the faces of everyone except the captain, and Beverly herself.

"So they're going to try to take B4 away?" LaForge asked.

"That depends," Picard said. "What did you tell the admiral, Will?"

"The truth," Will smirked. "We weren't sure yet."

Beverly thanked Heaven she had agreed to wait to tell the good news.

"Well, it's simple enough, isn't it?" LaForge asked. "We tell them that it didn't work."

"You mean we lie," Worf stated.

"Would you rather hand him over to Starfleet Command to be studied? Maybe decommissioned? They don't know him like we do. They think he's their property." There was a short silence.

"Commander, I understand your opinion on this particular subject," Picard said carefully, "but even if we did fail to notify Starfleet of any progress, it's not difficult to imagine a way they would find out. If that were to happen, the consequences would only be worse for all of us, including B4."

Geordi took another moment to calm down, He turned to the doctor. "Well, how much does he remember?"

"I was hoping you could tell me," Crusher responded. "We've all noticed that there had to have been _something _transferred from Data to B4 in the past few days. Face it, B4 isn't the sharpest tack, and he could hardly have studied Data's mannerisms so thoroughly in the short time he spent with him. He's no Lore."

Riker nodded. B4 had been used by their enemies, but he was not evil.

"I'll see what I can find," Geordi said finally, "But don't get your hopes up."

The captain let out a deep breath. So far, this could almost be mistaken for a normal staff meeting. He knew without the counselor telling him so that emotions were running high now that the crew was confronted with this new information, but they were holding together reasonably well. He almost smiled. This was why he'd called the meeting. The feeling of family, of togetherness between him and his officers. He was going to miss this feeling.

"What I don't understand," Riker said, "is why B4 would go to Doctor Crusher for help instead of Geordi?"

Worf spoke up. "Perhaps in B4's crude understanding, he recognized Doctor Crusher as being the "doctor." He is not, as she said, the sharpest tack."

Some of the tension released at the joke, and everyone took a deep breath, and made an effort at smiling, and most of them succeeded.

* * *

Geordi looked at the diagnostics running on the screens in engineering. He had always done Data's diagnostics himself, for Data's privacy. When it had come time to run tests on B4's systems, he found he was reluctant to let anyone else do the job. He knew B4 wasn't Data, but he was Data's family, and the idea of not running the diagnostics himself had seemed disloyal. Like giving Starfleet Data's schematics just because Data was gone. He frowned.

He had deactivated B4 for the tests. Not only because B4 asked so many questions while Geordi was trying to work, but because he didn't know what effects rummaging through the android's memories could have on his operating systems while he was awake. B4's systems were similar to Data's but he didn't know them as well, and Data's systems had often surprised Geordi with unforeseen reactions and glitches. He didn't want to take that chance again.

He focused back on the readings with a start. The readings had changed. He double checked the diagnostic, then walked over to where B4 sat, the panel on top of his head open, with wires attached to his positronic network. His eyes searched over the system, catching things no normal person could. "What in the-?"

The doors to Engineering swished open, admitting Worf. Worf marched over to the Chief Engineer. "The captain wants to know if there has been any progress," he stated quietly, so the other engineers working in the background wouldn't hear.

"So he sent you?" Geordi asked. It was almost amusing, but still unexpected. Worf had other responsibilities. An idle ensign would have served the purpose just as well.

"I offered to come," Worf said, adding, "The captain has still chosen not to alert the crew of what has happened."

Geordi nodded. The captain didn't want to get anyone's hopes up. He wished for a fleeting moment that maybe he could have been one of the people who hadn't been informed, then dismissed the thought. He'd rather know.

"I'm not sure yet," Geordi answered honestly. "I just started to run some diagnostics a little while ago, but..." He paused. "I'm not sure how to explain what we're looking at just yet. Something has definitely changed in B4's network-physically changed. I'm not quite sure what it's changing into, though, and I don't know how much of Data's in there." He said, with a sigh. He shrugged. "Tell the captain I'll contact him if I find anything more definite."

Worf nodded shortly, and turned to leave. He paused a few steps away, and turned back.

"He is not Data." Worf stated, his voice sure and resolute. This was no question, but a statement of fact. Geordi looked at him for a moment.

He smiled wanly. "Thanks, Worf." Worf nodded again, and left Engineering.

* * *

Doctor Crusher rubbed her temples. She had offered to record all of the strange behaviors that B4 had displayed since his reactivation. She started with the simple ones. His way of cocking his head to the side when he was listening...had he done that before? She couldn't remember. She recorded it anyway. She blinked from the computer glare.

She scoured her memories of the past few days, searching for strange behavior. All those times he went silent, instead of asking questions incessantly. Maybe he was processing Data's memories? But would he realize that that was what was happening? No. He hadn't understood it, that was why he had come to her in the first place.

She sighed, pushing away from the screen. She understood the physiology of many races, but androids were hardly her forte. He could have been watching the flashes of memory. He was sure curious enough, and if they were in his mind, maybe it wouldn't occur to him to ask about them at first? Or it could be that he just unconsciously flipped a switch and it activated something that...if she didn't understand it when she was awake, why was she trying to figure it out at this time of night?

She laughed suddenly, remembering when she had taught Data how to dance. It was a random, ludicrous thing to be thinking of now, but she watched as the scene played out in front of her. He was perhaps the most dexterous being she had ever seen, and he had still had to look down at his feet while he was dancing. For a few seconds, at least. But for those few seconds, he had seemed so...human.

Those moments when Data learned, when he wasn't perfectly skilled, when he was caught by surprise; they were all so precious. Those moments brought him closer to understanding what it meant to be human than any analyses could. She wondered if he had ever realized that.

But it didn't matter now. There would never be another moment like that for Data. B4 would learn, but it wouldn't be the same, and she wouldn't be there to see it. She had lost Data, just like she had lost so many others that she loved, that she considered family. Just like how she lost Jack, and how she had lost Wesley for so long; how she was losing Jean-Luc and _Enterprise_.

But that was why she had to go, she told herself. She needed to be someplace where she could have security; where everything she counted on didn't disappear so easily.

She was so tired of losing.

* * *

Deanna Troi strode into the Ready Room from the Bridge. Picard looked up at her from his desk. She smiled. "You're the captain, you're not that hard to find," she answered the question on his face.

He glanced around at his ready room briefly. "My options are limited," he agreed.

Deanna sat in a chair opposite his desk. She waited patiently.

"Counselor, not to be rude, but what is it?"

"Something has been weighing very heavily on your mind since the conference, Captain," she answered promptly. "It might make you feel better if you told someone what was worrying you."

The captain smiled. "I think I'm going to miss the convenience of a counselor who can sense when something is wrong," he murmured. "I'm just wondering what will happen if-if it works. If B4 does in fact recover all of Data's memories." His voice low and grave, he said, "I'm wondering, if we do get Data back again, will we be able to let him go?"

* * *

Will Riker had already changed into his pajamas, and was ready to call it quits for the night. There was only one thing missing...

Deanna Troi entered their quarters, still in uniform, but looking just as wiped out as her husband.

"What kept you?" Will asked, smiling. No matter how tired he was, he could always pull off that smile if it was for Deanna.

"I went to talk to the captain," she said, smiling back. She knew this game well.

"You know, what with all these late night visits with the captain, your new husband may start to get jealous."

Deanna grinned back. There was no hint of jealousy in Will at all. Only his usual playful mood. Their playfulness was what had reunited them finally on Ba'ku. With their moods reverting back to those of teenagers, they had decided to give it another shot. It had certainly taken long enough, but finally they were bound together forever.

There was something else, too. Will was hiding it well, but Deanna thought she sensed a kind of anxiousness coming from him. She searched his face, but found nothing but a grin.

"Well, soon enough you will be captain of your own ship, and you can call all the late-night appointments that you want."

He wrapped his arms around her. "I believe I will be exercising that privilege fairly often."

"The captain's mental health is not something to be trifled with," Deanna agreed.

"Nor is that of the counselor."

* * *

Worf hated to be idle. He had exercised in an effort to relax and clear his mind, but still sleep did not come easily to Worf.

He thought of things that had happened today that would need further thinking over. Of course, the situation with B4, but it did not seem that that was what was keeping him from his sleep, nagging at the edge of his mind.

He thought of what he had said to Geordi. It still rang true to him. No matter what, Data and B4 would always be separate entities.

He thought of Data. He had died an honorable death. Data had been worthy of such honor. Data had been strong, stronger than a Klingon. It was not only his strength that had won him Worf's respect, though. Data was clear-headed and logical. He knew when to use force, but also when to negotiate. In that respect, Data had often acted as a check to Worf's impulsiveness, especially when they were younger, and had just begun their adventures aboard the _Enterprise_.

Data had been a true warrior, and a wise one.

Worf smiled slightly, and began to get ready to sleep. He knew that he would dream of glorious battle tonight.

* * *

Geordi ran over the images again, trying to figure out what was happening in B4's head. He could tell that the positronic network had...evolved, somehow.

Engineering was quiet, the only lights were where other engineers were working. They had accepted that use of this area was off limits when B4 had diagnostics being run, but it was already into the next shift, and Geordi didn't want to make anyone else's job more difficult.

Whatever had happened, it seemed to have increased the functionality of B4's processors. They were becoming more advanced...more like Data's...He walked over to where the android sat, still deactivated.

"What the hell..." He looked over his processors and network. Whatever had happened to it, it now resembled Data's more than it had before. He walked around B4, examining him. He paused, noticing something strange, and knelt to look more closely at the android. He was tired, but he didn't think his eyes were tricking him.

"Now, what are you?" Geordi hadn't been mistaken. There was something in the data port that Shinzon had used to control B4.

* * *

Day 2

Picard entered the Conference room, his first stop of the day. The shift had just changed, and he had only been awake for a little while. Earlier than he had wished to be up, in fact, due to an urgent communication from Starfleet. The meeting to check progress on the B4 dilemma that he had called the previous day was about to take place. He wondered how much sleep everyone else had gotten.

He was the last to arrive. He took his seat and said briskly, "Good morning, everyone. Who'd like to go first?"

"Captain?" Geordi said.

"Mr. LaForge it is. What do you have to tell us?"

Geordi nodded, and looked back at everyone else seated at the table as he spoke. "I've been running some diagnostics on B4 to see how he was remembering things from Data's life, and I found that the layout of his neural pathways has completely changed. I didn't recognize what that meant at first, but when I compared it to some other scans I saw that his positronic network is rearranging itself to look and function like Data's did. His network is evolving."

"Evolving?" Riker said.

"Apparently our previous tests didn't detect it, but B4's network was nowhere near as simple as we'd thought. Dr. Soong created him to be able to grow and change. I'm thinking that the transfer between Data and B4 must have triggered this mechanism or programming to start up and start changing B4's systems from the inside out."

"So he truly has the same potential as Data?" Picard asked.

"But I thought that the transfer didn't have any effect on B4? Aside from some behavioral changes." Deanna amended.

Geordi continued, "There were no immediate effects to B4, but that's probably because he was still in a simpler form. It could be that as he evolves, he'll be able to process more and faster. It's gotten at least to the point where he recognizes memories, instead of just unconscious behavior modification."

"So he'll continue processing all of this information until he remembers everything from Data's life?" Beverly asked, not sure if she was horrified or gladdened at the prospect.

"No. Well, I don't believe so." Geordi said. "Whatever was happening seems to have stopped. His neural pathways are exactly the same as they were when I deactivated him."

"Which leads to the question; Do these changes only take place when B4 is activated?" Worf said.

"That's another thing. I don't think the process stopped because he was deactivated. There are no signs that any of the changes that took place has occurred for days."

"So something happened to stop them before?" Riker asked.

"It could be that. Or it could be that it's just slowed down, or finished. There's no way to know what the complete purpose of the process was. It could have finished already."

"But you don't believe that?" Worf said.

"No. I think it hasn't reached it's full potential yet. Though it could be that his systems couldn't handle the changes, or that the programming was faulty." Geordi shrugged. "Or he could have hit his head really hard and damaged whatever it is that's making these changes."

"Well you've certainly given us a lot to think about," Picard said.

"Actually, there's more, Captain. You see, I was so focused on what was going on inside of B4's head that I didn't notice _this_," Geordi held up something small, and laid it on the table, "-until late last night."

"What is it?" Beverly asked.

"I haven't been able to find out yet," Geordi sounded apologetic.

Picard wondered how late the engineer had been up. He looked like he'd only gotten a few hours of sleep. "Don't feel guilty, we've all got to sleep sometime."

Geordi smiled his thanks, then continued. "I don't know what it is, but it was plugged in to the redundant memory port on the back of B4's neck."

"The one that Shinzon had used?" Riker asked suspiciously.

"Yes," Geordi answered. "But the thing is, I'm certain it wasn't there when Shinzon was controlling B4."

The room when silent as everyone tried to digest his new information.

"Is it possible that Shinzon could have found a way to get to B4 even after we had deactivated him?" Picard asked.

"It's possible," Geordi said doubtfully. "I can't tell you what other kinds of technology that he might have had."

"Be careful when you examine that, then, Geordi. There's no telling what lengths Shinzon may have deemed acceptable in his dealings with us."

"Yes, Captain."

Captain Picard looked around the room. "Is there anything else?" No one answered. "I suppose it's my turn, then." Everyone turned toward the captain, surprised.

"I have been contacted by Admiral Nakamura," he said. The room suddenly felt cold. "It seems we now have a deadline."

Everyone opened their mouths at once, but Picard put his hand up to silence them.

"Admiral Nakamura expects an answer by the end of tomorrow. If he does not receive one, he will take B4 and run the tests himself."

"He'll take him, even if he has no proof that the transfer was successful?" Riker demanded.

"Unless we can produce proof otherwise," Picard said gravely.

"So the only way B4 will be safe is if he has no memories of Data's past?" Worf mused.

"Or at least not enough to be considered..." Beverly couldn't think how she wanted to end the sentence."

"And if that dormant program of his decides to start back up, then there will be no chance of that." Picard finished.

* * *

Geordi dove into his task of decoding the chip that had been in B4's backup memory port. He had checked to make sure it couldn't physically harm anything or anyone on the captain's advice, but it was perfectly safe, as far as he could tell. Bar someone choking on it.

He was now making sure it wouldn't affect any of the ship's systems by hooking it up to some portable devices. As far as he could tell, Shinzon wasn't trying to hack their systems, or give them any viruses. The chip seemed a simple enough piece of technology.

He deemed it safe to connect to the ship's computers.

* * *

Jean-Luc hated not being able to do anything when a problem was presented to him, especially one that threatened a member of his crew. Until Geordi could tell him what was going on with B4, he had nothing to do. He sat in his chair on the bridge. He knew he could let someone else take a shift, but couldn't think of anyone who was qualified who couldn't use more sleep. Besides, he had hoped it would keep him busy.

He wished more desperately than he ever had before that being in space dock wasn't so damned boring.

* * *

Counselor Troi sighed. She was glad the amount of counseling sessions was dying down, now that she had determined who needed more work and who was fine. She headed back toward her and Will's quarters, fully intent on taking a nap.

She stretched when she got to an empty section of hallway. She wondered how she looked. If you look how you feel, she thought bleakly, she must look awful. She, like everyone else on the _Enterprise_, had gotten very little sleep during the past few days.

She was surprised to see Will sitting on the couch when the doors _whooshed_ open. He was sitting, much like Earth's "Thinker," looking deep in contemplation. For a moment Deanna caught another glimpse of what he had been keeping so thoroughly under wraps the past few days. But then it was gone, and he was looking up at her in surprise.

"Will, I thought you'd be on the Bridge." As soon as he had recognized her, he had buried the feeling she had sensed. She frowned.

"The Captain's shift," he said. "Space dock hardly qualifies for needing two commanding officers on the Bridge." He smiled a little.

Deanna sat down on the couch and snuggled up next to him. "Will," she asked bluntly, "is something wrong?" The feeling she had sensed before came back to the front of his mind, but she still couldn't tell what it was. "Please don't hide anything from me, Will."

Now, like a toy being unearthed from a sandbox, Will let all the things he had been using to hide it slip. Deanna realized with a start that Will was worried and anxious, and more than a little bit afraid.

"Will, what's wrong?" Worry fell on her heavily. How could she not have realized that there was something troubling Will this much?

Will looked earnestly at his wife. The last thing he'd wanted was to see her worry, especially about _him_. He put a hand up to her face. "Are you okay?"

"Will...?"

Will looked away for a moment, as if he couldn't bear to think what he was about to say. "Deanna, I don't know a lot about psychology, but you've kept busy ever since we fought Shinzon." he said quietly. "Are you trying to keep your mind off of what happened, so you don't have to think about it?"

Deanna shook her head gently. "Will, what do you mean? Keep from thinking about what?"

Riker closed his eyes. "You were practically-" He stopped, and Deanna could see that he was breathing heavily because of anger. He tried to control his breathing. "He assaulted you." And with that, all the rage Riker felt toward Shinzon flooded the room. Deanna flinched. He turned to her, apologetic.

She could see his eyes were earnest, and could sense all the powerful emotions radiating off of him. She'd never felt at such a loss as to how to help someone. "Will..." She hugged him tightly. His arms slipped around her. He rested his head on top of hers.

"I can't protect you," he murmured. She looked up at him. "There are so many things that I can't protect you from."

"Will," she said again, "I hate him, but I'm not afraid." She held him extra tight. "I've been...attacked because of my empathic abilities before. We can't ever know what dangers there are out here. That's why we're here." She thought of all the love and warmth she had for him, and directed all the best feelings toward him, her _Imzadi_. He smiled faintly.

* * *

Beverly rarely found herself in Engineering. It was an amazing sight for anyone, and she found herself wondering why she'd never thought to just go down and look at the warp core; it was beautiful, yet seemed a bit ominous. It made the reality of the power it held all too clear, along with the knowledge of how truly dangerous it could be.

Her thoughts turned inevitably to Data's death, seeing the _Scimitar_ become...nothing. Everyone on it gone. "It's kind of bittersweet to hope not to get Data back," she said absently, gazing into the warp core. Geordi didn't say anything, but the creases in his forehead from concentrating deepened.

She and Geordi had never been particularly close, but he was one of the crewmembers that she saw most often, and whom she considered part of her family. She wanted to be able to spend a little time with each of them before he left, to try to say goodbye, if she could. But instead she just found herself hanging around Engineering, probably just being a distraction and a bother. And, worst of all, she just said one of the most insensitive things she possibly could have at this point.

She thought to apologize, but wasn't sure if that would make it worse, so she kept quiet. She shifted her attention fro the warp core to Geordi.

"Doctor, not to be rude, but what is it?"

She hadn't realized that she was staring. "Sorry," she said, "It's just, you always look the same." she said.

"Guess I just age well," Geordi smiled, showing his old humor.

"You still look exactly the same as when I first met you."

"Not exactly the same, Doctor." Geordi said. "The eyes."

Beverly nodded. She glanced at B4. "Data's eyes were different, too," she said thoughtfully.

Geordi nodded slightly in acknowledgement as he looked over the readings on the console before him. Suddenly, his eyes widened. "That's it!"

* * *

"I don't think Shinzon is responsible for this, Captain," Geordi began.

The captain had invited the Chief Engineer and Doctor into his Ready Room to discuss anything Geordi may have found. The Bridge crew had looked after them curiously, but they weren't aware of the revelations surrounding B4 yet, so that was to be expected. Not even the Engineering crew was aware of anything beyond the fact that there was something found in B4's last check-up that had the Chief Engineer baffled.

"Then who implanted the device in B4?" Picard asked.

Geordi glanced at Dr. Crusher, then back at the captain. "That's another thing, Captain. I know what the device is, but I'm not sure how the information will help us."

"What is it? Go on." Picard said.

"The device itself is a simple enough piece of technology," Geordi started. "It's just a data storage device-" The captain's eyes narrowed, and Geordi knew he was remembering how Shinzon had used the same memory port to get data from the ship's computer. He pushed on, "-but it's already had data stored on it. The storage device seems to be actually a relatively common one, used for holding holograms."

"Holograms?" This one caught him off guard.

"Yes, but as I said, I'm not certain what else I'll be able to get out of this. The storage device is encrypted perfectly, beyond anything Shinzon ever threw at us. I've tried it in the Holodeck and in other systems, but it's been encoded to only work through a specific device, as far as I can tell."

The Captain nodded grimly. They had so little time; they could not afford to go on a wild goose chase for the proper means to activate this device, but they seemed to have no other choice.

"Captain, there's one more thing," Geordi glanced at Beverly and she smiled reassuringly. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say that this encryption was Data's work."

* * *

Dr. Crusher found herself alone in the turbolift, and reflected momentarily. She hadn't wanted to think of how her last days as a member of the _Enterprise _crew were going to go. The thought had been too painful. But Data's death had shook her priorities back into focus. It was more painful to think of something happening and the people she cared for not knowing for sure how she felt.

Captain Picard's door chirped, and there was a pause where she could imagine him sighing and closing the book he was reading before he said, "Come."

Beverly strode into his quarters, still wearing her uniform, having just ended her shift in Sickbay. She smiled at him involuntary. She'd always thought the contrast between Jean-Luc in his uniform and in his pajamas was almost ridiculous. It was like he was a different person.

"Beverly," the Captain said in surprise, "How can I help you?" he said, putting down the book he had been reading and standing to greet her.

"Permission to speak freely, Captain?" she said.

Picard looked at her quizzically. "I don't recall that not having my permission has ever stopped you before," he said, smiling a little uncertainly.

She paced the few feet separating them quickly and embraced him. After a moment to recover, Picard put his arms around her, returning the embrace.

Hugging the Captain would have been an awkward affair for anyone else on _Enterprise_, especially while the captain was wearing his pajamas, but it wasn't something that Crusher had really needed to think about. She wanted to communicate how she felt, and she didn't know how to tell him, and it was of the utmost importance that he should know before it was too late.

"I'm going to miss you," Picard said quietly. Beverly nodded, not sure if she could speak yet. After a few minutes, the pair broke apart, and Picard got them each a drink. They sat down in his living room, sipping in silence.

Finally Picard said conversationally, "You know, there's no one telling you that you have to leave."

Beverly looked up at him a moment. "Please don't ask me to stay, Jean-Luc," she said quietly. She knew if he asked her, she would unpack her bags and zoom around the galaxy with him for the next fifteen years. Jean-Luc looked into her eyes, and she was certain that he knew this, too.

He nodded gently, and looked down into his cup of tea. "Are you sure?" he said, just as quietly as she had. She nodded, glad that she didn't have to look into his eyes as she said, "Yes."

He nodded again before looking back up at her. "Then I suppose we should be making a toast to the new Surgeon General. I believe I can find something a bit stronger than tea." He smiled, and she smiled back.

* * *

Day 3

_How many before it becomes wrong..._

"...as the time for our final report on B4's condition draws near, we are continuing our attempt to make a case for B4 to stay on the Enterprise. It is my belief that he will be safer as an honorary member of my crew or as a guest on my ship than he could be on any Federation planet where he would be within Starfleet's grasp." Jean-Luc Picard grimly concluded the entry to his personal log.

He loved serving in Starfleet, but his admiration of the program was all too often met with decisions that should never have been made, and with corrupted individuals who kept secrets and craved power. Often the most frustrating follies were the ones made with good intentions. Perhaps the worst kind of demon to deal with is one that you can see in yourself, he mused. He represented Starfleet in everything he did. The best and worst of him.

The door to his Ready Room chirped, and Geordi entered.

"Good morning," Picard said.

"Is it morning already?" Geordi said.

"It's 0800." The Admiral would be contacting them in four hours.

"That explains the shift change down in Engineering." Geordi joked half-heartedly. He handed the Captain a padd. "I've tried everything I can think of, but that code is just...perfect. I won't be able to break it in time."

"I see." Picard had been careful not to mention the existence of the device in any of his logs yet, though if it was discovered he had withheld that information the punishment could be severe. But if Starfleet was willing to bend the rules then so was he.

"Do you have any idea what he could have used as the key, as the player for this hologram?" Picard asked.

Geordi shrugged. "The way Data's mind worked-anything."

Picard nodded. Humans under stress could be very illogical, so agonizing over the answer wasn't going to do them any good.

"Captain," Geordi started. Picard looked up. "If B4 is...taken by Starfleet, are they planning on taking him while he's still deactivated? So when he's reactivated, he won't know where he is?"

_If they reactivate him at all_, the Captain thought. Picard knew what Geordi was saying. If the answer was yes, then Geordi would reactivate the android in spite of Starfleet.

"Geordi, if Starfleet does decide to take B4 away from us, I will reactivate him myself to tell him where he's going." he said bleakly.

* * *

Will retrieved the plate and mugs from the replicator and set the plate on the coffee table. Deanna and Beverly took their drinks gratefully.

"It's so strange to think that soon we'll be leaving _Enterprise_," Beverly said.

"Well, we all get big promotions for it," Will joked. "You're right, though. This ship's been home for a long time."

"Think of it as a new start for your family," Beverly said. "Will and Deanna, leaving the nest to create their own family." Beverly looked pointedly at Deanna.

"And Will is going to pull every string he can to make sure you deliver our first child," Deanna said. They laughed, knowing that it would probably be impossible, but hoping anyways.

Beverly sighed. "I just wish there was more we could be doing _now_."

Deanna raised an eyebrow. "You have an idea."

"Well, you know how they sometimes go through the personal logs of officers who died mysteriously?" Beverly started.

"Are you suggesting we go through Data's personal logs?" Will asked. "That could take weeks."

"I think she meant B4," Deanna said.

"He doesn't have any."

"He doesn't have any logs, but he does have some of Data's-in a sense. Maybe, just maybe, B4 got a hold of something important."

"Weren't you making a list of the things that B4 might have gotten from Data?" Deanna asked.

"Well, yes, but half of the things I couldn't even be sure of. This is so frustrating!"

"Wait," Will started, "What was the first thing that made you believe Data's memories were taking hold in B4's mind?"

Beverly thought a moment. "He asked who Tasha Yar was."

Recognition shone clear on Will's face as he tapped his combadge. "Riker to LaForge."

"_LaForge here._"

"Geordi, I think I know what we're looking for."

* * *

"I remember that Tasha made a hologram to record a message for us all before she died, but, how does that help us find the player for Data's?" Beverly asked Will as they all headed for Cargo Bay 2. Will hadn't taken the time to explain before they left, and Deanna and Beverly practically had to run to keep up with him. But, dammit, they were running out of time!

"Something I remember from the trial. When Data's freedom was questioned by Starfleet before. I was the prosecutor," he remembered grimly. He had hated that task more than anything else in the universe, but he had had to do his best to prove Data was just a machine. If he hadn't tried his hardest, they would have taken Data because of him. It had seemed like a no-win situation. "Data kept a hologram of Tasha after she died."

Beverly and Deanna nodded. It seemed a touchy subject, so they thought they'd let it go for now.

They met up with Geordi just before they reached Cargo Bay 2. "According to the ship's records, al of Data's belongings were stored in here," he said as they walked through the Cargo Bay doors.

And there it was. The crate full of Data's things. They opened it quickly, then started to carefully remove the paintings and sculptures, everything that had been prized by Data. With four people, it went more quickly than it would have if just Will or Geordi had been digging through the crate, but they could all feel their time running out as they delved deeper, but still couldn't find it.

"It's not here," Will said finally.

Geordi tapped his combadge, calling one of the newer ensigns that had been in charge of taking care of Data's belongings. "LaForge to Ensign Patris."

"_Ensign Patris here, sir_."

"Was anything removed from Commander Data's belongings after they were put in Cargo Bay 2?"

Geordi remembered how the captain had invited anyone who was close to Data to take something to remember him by, since he had no family.

"_I'll check the records, sir._" Everyone held their breath for a moment. "_Yes, sir. Lieutenant Commander Worf removed a hologram player from the crate_."

"Thank you, Ensign. Computer, locate Lieutenant Commander Worf."

"_Lieutenant Commander Worf is in Shuttle Bay 1_."

"Shuttle Bay?"

* * *

Geordi, or anyone, for that matter, hadn't seen very much of Worf for the past couple of days. The same thing occupied their thoughts as they headed to the Shuttle Bay. What was Worf doing there?

They arrived at the Shuttle Bay doors. Riker stopped mid-stride as the doors remained closed. "Computer, open the door." he demanded.

"_Security clearance required_."

"Security clearance-? Riker Bravo Charlie Seven."

"_Security clearance required_," the computer repeated.

"Computer, open the damn door."

"Computer, clearance override Worf Delta Four Nine," they heard from the other side of the door. The doors whooshed open, and the group entered the Shuttle Bay.

"What is the meaning of this?" Riker asked, then stopped as he looked beyond Worf. The Captain's Yacht was being worked on by a security team, along with a few engineers. "Worf, what's going on?"

"The Captain wanted the re-outfitting of his Yacht to remain a secret from the rest of the crew," Worf answered. "I believe you to be trustworthy."

"Why is the Captain having his Yacht re-outfitted?" Deanna asked.

Worf looked over his shoulder at the crewmembers working on the yacht. "He told them it was for a secret mission," he said quietly.

"But, it's not," Beverly said, wondering why the true purpose was being hidden from the people working on it.

"No, it is not." Worf agreed. "It is a last resort. The captain does not want to give B4 up, but he knows that Starfleet could take him by force if necessary."

"So, if worse comes to worst, B4 would be leaving before the Admiral could come to fetch him." Deanna finished. "So you've been making sure the yacht was untraceable."

Worf nodded.

"Worf, the hologram player you took from Data's belongings," Geordi interrupted, "We need it."

* * *

"We're running out of time, just bring it straight to the Conference Room." Riker had told Worf. The rest of them headed there directly, not wanting to slow Worf down. They contacted the Captain through his combadge, and he arrived there first. The rest of them arrived soon after, and waited eagerly for Worf to get there. While they waited, Riker and Geordi explained everything they had found out to the captain.

Worf arrived a few minutes later, faster than any of the rest probably would have been able to, holding the platform that would house holographic recordings. He handed it to Geordi, who turned it back on. They all felt a pang as Tasha's image appeared.

"She was an honorable warrior," Worf said in what passed as quietly, for Klingons.

"There's no need to explain," the Captain said. "We're just glad we found it in time." Time that was running out, and quickly.

Geordi slipped the device into the hologram projector. "Here we go." He placed it on the table.

For a moment, nothing happened. Then, the projector flickered lights, and Data's image appeared. Almost everyone realized that they had been holding their breath when the let it go finally.

"_I do not know if B4 is watching this with you. I may only assume that I am no longer with you, in some sense, for I would have explained what this device was for, instead of having to have Geordi decode my message. For that I am sorry_."

Everyone seemed affected by hearing Data's voice once again, and knowing that it was his, and not B4's voice that they were hearing.

"_B4's positronic network was taking an extended amount of time to process my memories, so I had time to 'think over' what Geordi said to me, concerning my individuality. I wish for B4 to have the same opportunities that I had, but I must also accept that we are two different people, and I would not force him to chase after my dreams if it was not what he wanted. I gave B4 this inhibitor to stop my memories from processing until I could be sure whether or not this was what B4 wanted. B4 must decide for himself what he will do, and what will become of him. I trust you all to help him make that choice, or, if he still does not understand, to make the choice that is best for him. You are my family._

_"If this Inhibitor is re-introduced to B4's network, all of the data it intercepted will be permitted to pass into his positronic network, and he will have my memories. If it is not re-introduced, B4 will remain as he is, until he is ready to learn and evolve. I trust your judgment. Goodbye._"

Everyone around the table had been so focused on the hologram that when it ended so abruptly, it was almost a physical shock. Riker put an arm around Deanna, and Beverly wiped her eyes. Worf, Geordi, and the Captain seemed to have the same, almost bewildered look on their faces.

The combadge chirp broke them al out of their reverie. "_Bridge to Captain Picard. Incoming transmission from Starfleet Command._"

"I'll take it in the Conference Room," he said after a moment.

Admiral Nakamura's face appeared on the viewscreen, and he looked surprised to see the entire Senior Staff there. Deanna and Riker were not leaning on each other anymore, and everyone else looked about the same as they would usually, but Picard felt that they were all glaring more than under normal circumstances. He didn't blame them.

"Hello, Admiral."

"Hello Captain. I trust you have your results?" Nakamura said, cutting to the chase.

"Oh, yes, Admiral." Picard said, the cold disdain in his voice clear to every member of his staff.

"And is the android Commander Data?"

Picard waited a moment before speaking, and looked around at his crew of the past fifteen years. "I'm afraid, Admiral, that B4 is simply what he always was; Data's brother. To my knowledge, B4 has never joined Starfleet in any way, shape, or form, so he is clearly not under their jurisdiction."

Admiral Nakamura opened his mouth to protest, then looked around at the faces surrounding the table. He saw hatred for himself, and...smugness, and he could tell that they were telling the truth, at least as far as they were talking, and that he couldn't do anything about it.

"I see," he finally said. "That's very unfortunate. Starfleet has lost a great officer."

"Indeed it has," the Captain answered dryly. "But, Admiral, I believe our business for today is done."

* * *

"...The Admiral has requested a hearing from Starfleet, but, even after the time it will take to approve the request, there will still not be enough proof for him to say that B4 is anything but what he is. There are no true replacements in life for those we care about..."

Picard faced B4 for the first time since he had been reactivated. "I don't know if all this has made any sense, but I wanted you to know what kind of man he was. In his quest to be more like us, he helped us to see what it means to be human."

"My...my brother was not human?" B4 asked, struggling to understand.

"No, he wasn't. But his wonder, his curiosity about every facet of human nature allowed all of us to see the best parts of ourselves. He evolved, he embraced change, because he always wanted to be better than he was." Picard finished.

"I...I do not understand." B4 said.

Picard leaned back in his chair. "Well, I hope some day you will."

How could he help B4 understand all of this? His thoughts were interrupted by Worf calling over the comm. The Warp Engines were ready. Picard would have to go now.

Picard sighed. B4 was examining something on his desk. "We'll talk later." He got up to leave, walking around B4.

"Never saw the sun..." B4 sang quietly, no discernable tune, and off-key. Picard stopped, turned. "Never saw the sun...Never saw the sun..."

"Shining so bright," Picard supplied.

"Shining so bright. Never saw things..."

"Going so right," Picard whispered.

"Going so right," B4 copied, not paying any attention to the Captain.

Picard smiled sadly at the android, before leaving. He thought of the memory chip, housed in the same case that had held Data's emotion chip. He looked back, and B4 was still playing with the disk. Picard left, heading toward the future; vowing not to get caught up in the past.

* * *

Disclaimer #2: That last scene was borrowed from the end of Nemesis. Would've said so earlier, but I didn't want to spoil the ending.

Thank you for reading.


End file.
